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Parshat Metzora: Thinking Before We Speak ©

By Lee

This parsha study is dedicated to the loving memory of Mrs. Ethel Channah Sakash Belk, may she rest in peace and her memory be for good.

Perek 14, passuk 4 states: 

The Kohen shall command; and for the person being purified there shall be taken two live, clean birds, cedarwood, crimson thread, and hyssop. The Stone Edition The Chumash, ArtScroll Series; Rabbi Nosson Scherman/Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, General Editors (Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications, Ltd., Third Edition) p 621.

Per the Stone Chumash commentary, Rashi explains that [b]ecause his affliction came in punishment for the chatter of gossip and slander, his purification is effected by means of chirping, twittering birds. Ibid. p 621. 

In his book, Growth Through Torah {(Brooklyn, NY: Benei Yakov Publications 1988) p 260}, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin paraphrases and quotes commentary from Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz in Rabbi Levovitz's book, Daas Torah: Vayikra, pp. 109-10: Before speaking you need to ask yourself, 'What is the purpose of what I am about to say? What will it accomplish? What effects will it have?' Once you get in to the habit of asking yourself these questions, you will always think before you speak. This will enable you to overcome the tendency of speaking against others.

What a wonderful gift! A recipe for overcoming the tendency of speaking loshon hara. This I see as a pursuit for a lifetime. If we have small victories, we can build on them. One victory would be to memorize the 3 questions. Another would be to have one instance in a day where we asked ourselves the three questions and succeeded in thinking before speaking.

One practice we have in [our families] is to forbid the use of certain words. These are words that are demeaning and demoralizing, words that tear the fabric of harmony in the home. In this way, we make inroads into protecting our home from loshon hara. 

May we overcome the tendency of speaking ill of others!

Blessings & peace,

Lee

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Parshat Tazria: Closeness to Hashem ©

Lee's Parsha Journal

This parsha study is dedicated to the loving memory of Sue Elder, may she rest in peace and her memory be for good.

Perek 12, passuk 8 states: 

But if she cannot afford a sheep, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young doves, one for an      elevation-offering and one for a sin-offering; and the Kohen shall provide atonement for her and she    shall become purified. The Stone Edition The Chumash, ArtScroll Series; Rabbi Nosson Scherman/Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, General Editors (Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications, Ltd., Third Edition) p 609.

The commentary offered by the Stone Chumash on the phrase one for an elevation-offering is as follows:

Although the service of the sin-offering is performed first, the Torah Mentions the elevation-offering first, because it symbolizes the goal of the entire service: to achieve closeness to [G-d] and become dedicated to Him. Ibid.

The goal of the entire service is to achieve closeness to G-d. Our offerings also have the goal of achieving closeness to Hashem. What are our offerings? Repentance is one. A friend pointed out that davening (prayer) is an offering. Meditation is another. When I see a beautiful sight in nature, sometimes an offering of gratitude wells up from within my heart and I feel a certain closeness to Hashem. There are moments in prayer and meditation that I experience a closeness to Hashem. Baruch Hashem. I am so grateful for those moments! 

Do you ever experience a kind of closeness to G-d? Would you share it with us?

A side note, you may have noticed that I bracketed  [-] Hashem's Name in the above quote. That's because the Stone Chumash, like other siddurim and seforim, spell out the Name of G-d because the author and publisher have the expectation that the publication will be a permanent part of a library, not something the purchaser would ever throw away; something to be passed on, not destroyed.

Thank you for reading my thoughts. I hope you will join the discussion with questions and/or comments.

Blessings & peace to you,

Lee

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Naomi Leah's Parsha Journal

Hello Friends,

This study blog is created in the loving memory of Mr. Arnold Student Litman, my beloved father; Mr. George Belk, my beloved father-in-law, and Mrs. Ethel Channah Sakash Belk, my beloved mother-in-law, may they rest in peace and may their memories be for good!

Welcome to my corner! I thought I would join the blogosphere by sharing something about my Parsha studies, what I am learning and thoughts on what I am learning. I hope you will join in by sharing your thoughts on the same verse or verses I am referencing. This way we could study Ha Torah together informally. I hope to hear from you on this blog! Happy studying in Ha Torah!

Parshat Tzav: The Awesome Power of Repentance

This week's study is in the loving memory of Gershon Yitzchok Belk and Don Yaakov Belk, my beloved brothers-in-law, may they rest in peace and may their memories be for good! 

Let's start with this week's Parsha, Tzav. Verse 6.2 is about the [Law] of the elevation-offering. (This translation is quoted from The Stone Edition The Chumash, ArtScroll Series; Rabbi Nosson Scherman/Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz, General Editors (Brooklyn, NY: Mesorah Publications, Ltd., Third Edition) p 569. Part of the The Stone Edition The Chumash (also referred to as The Stone Chumash for short) commentary is as follows:

On this verse, the Midrash comments that if a person repents, it is regarded as if he had gone up to Jerusalem, rebuilt the Temple and the Altar, and brought on it all the offerings of the Torah (Vayikra Rabbah 7:2). Every Jew should be a human temple. If he is holy, his personal temple is holy; if he sins, he contaminates it. When someone repents, therefore, it is as if he rebuilds himself and recreates a temple within himself.

Isn't this powerful? Our Sages in the Midrash impart to us the power of true repentance, powerful enough to be regarded as first going to Yerushalayim, then rebuilding the Temple and rebuilding the Altar and then bringing not one or two offerings but all the offerings of Ha Torah! What a beautiful meditation, self as a human temple, and true repentance having the power to rebuild the self and recreate the temple within. This speaks of the Renewing Radiance of Ha Torah and the precious gift of repentance that Hashem Gave us all. 

Thank you for reading and sharing my learning and thoughts. 

Blessings & peace,

Naomi Leah